Processing data packets
First Claim
1. A method of processing a received data stream which is intended for transmission in packet form over a data network, the method comprising:
- forming the received data stream into a stream of packets, each packet comprising a payload section of data and an overhead section;
said stream of packets being formed by creating a template, applying the template to the received data to form the stream of packets and without passing that data through a routing stack;
and wherein said template is formed by;
generating a packet which can subsequently be identified as a template packet;
sending that template packet through a routing stack such that routing information is applied to the template packet;
subsequently identifying that racket as a template packet; and
using the routing information that has been applied to the template packet by the routing stack to form the template.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A received data stream is formed into a stream of packets, each packet comprising a payload section of data and an overhead section. In forming the packets, a template overhead section is created for use by the stream of packets and this template is applied to the data to form the packets. This avoids the need to individually pass packets through a routing stack, thus reducing the processing demands on the processor which constructs the data packets and reducing the transmission delay experienced by data. The template overhead section can be formed by sending a packet through a routing stack. Another aspect describes apparatus for processing packets where a first processor processes signalling packets and a second processor processes real-time data packets. The first processor can be, used to create the template overhead section before passing the template information to the second processor where it can be used in forming the real-time data packets.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of processing a received data stream which is intended for transmission in packet form over a data network, the method comprising:
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forming the received data stream into a stream of packets, each packet comprising a payload section of data and an overhead section;
said stream of packets being formed by creating a template, applying the template to the received data to form the stream of packets and without passing that data through a routing stack;
and wherein said template is formed by;
generating a packet which can subsequently be identified as a template packet;
sending that template packet through a routing stack such that routing information is applied to the template packet;
subsequently identifying that racket as a template packet; and
using the routing information that has been applied to the template packet by the routing stack to form the template. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Apparatus for processing a received data stream which is intended for transmission in packet form over a data network, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor arranged to form the received data stream into a stream of packets, each packet comprising a payload section of data and an overhead section;
said stream of packets being formed by creating a template, applying the template to the received data to form the stream of packets and without passing that data through a routing stack;
and wherein said processor is arranged to form said template by;
generating a packet which can subsequently be identified as a template packet;
sending that template packet through a routing stack such that routing information is applied to the template packet;
subsequently identifying that packet as a template packet; and
using the routing information that has been applied to the template packet by the routing stack to form the template.
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15. Software code stored on a machine-readable medium for causing a data stream processing apparatus which processes a received data stream for transmission over a data network by receiving a data stream and forming the data into a stream of packets, each packet comprising a payload section of data and an overhead section, to perform the steps of:
- creating a template and applying the template to the received data to form the stream of packets and without passing that data through a routing stack; and
wherein said software code is arranged to cause said data stream processing apparatus to form said template by;
generating a packet which can subsequently be identified as a template packet;
sending that template packet through a routing stack such that routing information is applied to the template packet;
subsequently identifying that packet as a template packet; and
using the routing information that has been applied to the template packet by the routing stack to form the template.
- creating a template and applying the template to the received data to form the stream of packets and without passing that data through a routing stack; and
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16. A method of processing data packets, the packets being of two types:
- signalling packets and real-time packets carrying real-time data, the method comprising the steps of;
processing the signalling packets by a first processor; and
,processing the real-time data packets by a second processor; and
wherein for transmitting packets, the method comprises;
generating, using the first processor, a template for use by the real-time data packets; and
,applying, using the second processor, the template to the real-time data packets; and
using said first processor to form the template by;
generating a packet which can subsequently be identified as a template packet;
sending that template packet through a routing stack such that routing information is applied to the template packet;
subsequently identifying that packet as a template packet; and
using the routing information that has been applied to the template packet by the routing stack to form the template. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
- signalling packets and real-time packets carrying real-time data, the method comprising the steps of;
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19. Apparatus for processing data packets, the packets being of two types:
- signalling packets and real-time packets carrying real-time data, the apparatus comprising;
a first processor for processing the signalling packets and generating a template;
a second processor for processing the real-time data packets and applying the template to the real-time data packets; and
wherein said first processor is arranged to form the template by;
generating a packet which can subsequently be identified as a template packet;
sending that template packet through a routing stack such that routing information is applied to the template packet;
subsequently identifying that packet as a template packet; and
using the routing information that has been applied to the template packet by the routing stack to form the template. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
- signalling packets and real-time packets carrying real-time data, the apparatus comprising;
Specification